AN ANALYSIS OF THE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS’ DIFFICULTIES IN USING VERB AND TO BE OF SIMPLE PAST TENSE WHEN WRITING EXPERIENCES AT SMAN 11 PADANG

Abstrak

Abstract

This research aimed at determining the first year students’ difficulties in using verb and to be of simple past tense when writing experiences at SMAN 11 Padang. The design of the research was descriptive research. The population of the research was the first year students of SMAN 11 Padang. They were spread over in eight classes. The writer used cluster random sampling technique in order to select the sample. She took thirty two students in one class as the sample of real test and twenty nine students in another class as the try out class of the research.The writer used writing test. The writer tried out the writing test to know whether the students could understand the direction or instruction of the test or not, whether the time to do the test was enough or not. The result of writing test showed that in general there were 78% (25 students) who had difficulties in using verb and to be of simple past tense when writing experiences. Specifically, there were 27 students (83%) who had difficulties in using verb of simple past tense when writing experiences and were 23 students (72%) who had difficulties in using to be of simple past tense when writing experiences.

Key words: Simple Past Tense, Writing Experience